I believe that the Obama administration’s response to the economic recession represented a departure from the conservative consensus. Obama’s administration allowed the federal government to play a more active role in the economy in order to try and lessen the crisis. President Obama highlighted this during his campaign, stating that the “government must play anContinue reading “The Great Recession”
Author Archives: lrroberts22
Bush, the Climate, and Darth Vader
According to the article, the Bush Sr. Administration was reluctant to sign the Kyoto Protocol in part because of concerns that it resembled a form of “foreign aid”—a politically sensitive move during a period of economic recession, when public attention was more focused on domestic struggles and the Persian Gulf War. President Bush was worriedContinue reading “Bush, the Climate, and Darth Vader”
Land to Burn
Andrew Bacevich argues that America’s deeper issue of an ethic of self-indulgence and profligacy takes precedence as the main factor driving U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, rather than notions of combating terrorism. Bacevich writes that even though the proliferation of “national defense” is used most frequently by presidents and officials, there are deepContinue reading “Land to Burn”
War on The West
The Sagebrush Rebellion was “a populist protest against public land reform supported by western citizens, the natural resource industries, and local and state governments in the West” (131). The movement was one of the first populist environmental movements after WWII, and often, its opposition to environmental reform was primarily framed in the language of state’sContinue reading “War on The West”
The Walmartification of Churches
Pastor Jerry Falwell played a pivotal role in the formation of the Christian Right. As one of the most prominent evangelical leaders of his time—thanks in large part to the rise of television and radio networks—his decision to shift support from southern Democratic economic populists to pro-business Republicans influenced a significant portion of evangelicals toContinue reading “The Walmartification of Churches”
The Working Class: Paper or Plastic?
The working class was “recycled” in the transition from an industrial to service-based economy because a large number of working-class individuals who had previously relied on industrial jobs—such as within the steel industry—had to settle for underpaid service positions, early retirement, or unemployment. Workers were in a sense “recycled” because they were thrown away byContinue reading “The Working Class: Paper or Plastic?”
Two Doves, One Stone
George Wallace and Richard Nixon tapped into the stereotype of “elite doves” and “reactionary hardhats” for their political advantage by uniting a coalition of workers who were becoming disillusioned with the Democratic party. By pushing the narrative of Democrats being radically anti-war, anti-patriotic and elitist snobs, the rhetoric of Nixon and Wallace convinced this groupContinue reading “Two Doves, One Stone”
The Class Divide in Combat
Christian Appy argues that Vietnam was a “working-class war” because the war was fought disproportionately by men from working-class and poor families. Appy argues that “roughly 80% came from working-class and poor backgrounds,” unreflective of the general United States population (251). Additionally, of those that fought in the war, soldiers from lower class backgrounds diedContinue reading “The Class Divide in Combat”
Racism North of the Mason-Dixon Line
The civil rights struggle in New York City and Boston schools challenge the perception that racial discrimination was solely a regional issue in the South. These examples highlight how efforts to desegregate were either disregarded or actively resisted in the North, revealing the broader scope of racial inequality across the United States. According to theContinue reading “Racism North of the Mason-Dixon Line”
Missiles, Motels, and the Military-Industrial Complex
President Dwight Eisenhower, in his 1961 farewell address, advised the country to guard themselves against the “unwarranted influence” of the military-industrial complex. Despite being a military leader and a hero of World War II, the President recognized that the growing collaboration between the military, the government, and the growing defense industry—if left unchecked—could overwhelmingly influenceContinue reading “Missiles, Motels, and the Military-Industrial Complex”
Will Wright 